Display device



June 25, 1 957 J. BAUMGARTH DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1955 UnitedStates atent DISPLAY DEVICE John Baumgarth, Melrose Park, Ill.

Application November 25, 1955, Serial No. 548,955

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-120) The present invention relates generally todisplay devices and more particularly to desk calendars.

The usual novelty desk calendar has a disadvantage in that its lightnessand general construction renders it liable to be knocked over and offthe desk supporting it. For that reason, small simple desk calendarshave not achieved a high degree of popularity despite the conveniencethat they unquestionably afiord. A more practical construction for anovelty desk calendar has recently been devised which includes a pair ofrockers and a weight bar that is displaced upwardly whenever the deviceis rocked on its rockers. The weight bar incidentally gives the devicesufficient weight so that it is not easily knocked around and ofi thedesk, and the construction is such that the unit always returns to anupright position on rockers whenever it is knocked down. This latterfeature also imparts play appeal to the novelty which enhances its valueas an advertising medium, it being usual to carry an advertising messageon the device in addition to the calendar information.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved displaydevice of the type described immediately above which is constructed toincorporate the above-described features in a rugged yet gracefulassembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved displaydevice that may be constructed simply and economically and whichrequires a minimum of extraneous components.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a display device of thetype described above which includes a plastic plate-like body portionwith disc-like rockers at each end, and in which a weight rod that holdsthe body portion upright is totally supported by and encased in aplastic pocket that may be made integral with the body portion, thusachieving an economy in the plastic production.

The above and other features of the invention which are believed to benew are set forth with particularity in the claims. The inventionitself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof,may best be understood by reference to the following description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view actual size representation of the displaydevice of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2-2; and

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the unit on a somewhatreduced scale.

The invention provides a display device which comprises a plate-likebody portion, with first and second disc-like members affixed to thebody portion at opposite ends thereof in spaced parallel relation andperpendicular to the plane of the body portion. The disc-like memberseach extend a certain distance beyond an edge of the body portion toform rockers for the device. An

elongated tubular supporting member is affixed to the edge of the bodyportion, and this member has a diameter less than the certain distance.And, a weight rod is enclosed in and supported by the supporting memberto maintain the body portion essentially in an upright p07 sition.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the display device of the presentinvention includes a plate-like body portion 10 which is composed of anysuitable plastic material. The calendar pad 11 is mounted on the bodyportion 10 on a pair of plastic pins 12 and 13 formed integral with thebody portion. The body portion may also include a panel area 14 on whichany suitable advertising message may be inscribed or otherwisesupported.

The body portion 10 has first and second disc-like members 15 and 16formed integral therewith at opposite ends of the body portion andcomposed of plastic material. The disc-like members 15 and 16 are inspaced parallel relation and perpendicular to the plane of the bodyportion. These disc-like members extend a certain distance beyond thelower edge of the body portion 10 so as to form rockers for the device.

A plastic elongated tubular supporting member 17 is formed integral withthe lower edge of the body portion 19 and extends from one disc-likemember 15, 16 to the other; and the supporting member 17 has a diameterthat is less than the distance the disc-like members extend beyond thelower edge. A relatively heavy metallic weight rod 18 is completelyenclosed and supported by the supporting member 17 and the weight rodextends the length of the supporting member.

It can be seen that Whenever the device is knocked down so that the bodyportion 10 is in a horizontal position, the weight rod 18 is lifted upfrom the supporting surface and the pull of gravity on the weight rodreturns the body portion 10 to an essentially upright position. It

is usual to position the weight rod so that the body portion is inclinedslightly to the vertical for convenience in reading the information onthe face of that portion.

Applicants improved construction produces a rugged and graceful displaydevice having the desirable features sufiicient weight so that it cannoteasily be knocked around, and the novelty appeal of returning to anupright position whenever it is knocked down. When placed on a desk orother supporting surface, it is not subject to the annoyance of beingeasily knocked over or ofi the supporting surface. Indeed, apart fromits feature of maintaining an upright position, it has sufiicient weightadditionally to function as a paperweight. The unit is convenientlyformed of an integral plastic construction for economy in manufacturingand graceful appearance.

It is usual and convenient to construct the device of the invention ofpolystyrene, and standard injection molding techniques can be used. Theweight rod is conveniently held in the mold cavity during the moldingoperation by magnetic means.

The invention provides therefore, a display device that can beconveniently and cheaply made, and which has a high utility and noveltyappeal.

I claim:

1. A display device including in combination a platelike body portion ofplastic material, first and second disc-like plastic members formedintegral with said body portion at opposite ends thereof in spacedparallel relation and perpendicular to the plane of said body portion,said disc-like members each extending a certain distance beyond an edgeof said body portion to form rockers for the device, a plastic elongatedtubular supporting member formed integral with said edge of said bodyportion extending from one of said disc-like members to the other andhaving a diameter less than said certain disjacent to said tubularsupporting member and between .7

said disc-like members,-and a'relatively heavy metallic weight rodenclosed andsupported entirely by said supporting member and extendingthe length of said supporting member, said weight rod tending tomaintain said body portion in anes sentially upright position.

2. A display device including in combination, a vertically extendingplate-like body portion of plastic material, first and second disc-likeplastic members formed integrally with said body portionat opposite endsthere of in spaced parallel relation and perpendicular to the plane" ofs'a'idlbody portion, said body portion extending substantiallydiametrically'across said disc-like members and having an upper edgeextending a substantial distance above the upper edgeportion of saiddisc-like members and having a. lower edge terminating adjacent tot thelower edge portion of said disc-like members, with said disc-likemembersforming rockers for the device, aplastic elongatedrtubular' memberformed integral with said lower edge of said body portion and integralWithand extending from one of said disc-like members to the other andhaving a diameter less than the distance between said lower edge of saidbody portion and the lower edge portion of said disc-like members, acalendar pad secured to said body portion adjacent to said tubularmember and between said disc-like members, and a relatively heavymetallic Weight rod enclosed in and supported entirely by said tubularmember and extending the length of said tubular member, said Weight rodtending to maintain said body portion in an essentially uprightposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS WebbJune 6, 1899 Lewis Aug. 28, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept.13,-1898

